NARUC commissioners BIC meeting

Sue/Scott--as you know, Broadband Infastructure Coalition (BIC) met over
breakfast this morning in D.C. with Commisioner Joan Smith of Oregon and Alan
Thoms of Iowa, the chair and vice chair of the telecom committee. Jim Prybil
of Level 3, Rick Wood of WIlliams, Michael Freedman of Global Crossing and I
were there on behalf of the coaliton. The primary message that we delivered
was that there should not be any expansion of extortion by local
municiapalities for right of way access (that "just and reasonable costs"
were being interpreted very liberally by the league of cities and other folks
and that the true interpretation should be actual incurred costs) and that we
hoped NARUC and these commissioners could support our position and promote
positions that enhance our ability to expand infastructure without unfair
fees or costs.

Both Commissioners were sympathetic and supportive, but Ms. Smith in
particular indicated that the issue is generally outside of the their purview
and that the political realities of strongly wading into the issue would be
difficult for some COmmissioners on the committee (the city/muni/local
political clout either with the Administration that appoints the
commissioners or the electorate if commisioners are elected). However, they
both suggested that the NARUC committee should consider having a session on
the issue, possibly at the summer NARUC meeting. I spoke with Alan Thoms as
he left the breakfast, and he indicated that he thought a full day of
sessions covering this issue, poles and wires, as well as building access
would be very productive. I expressed to him our interest in the building
access issue as well.

Rick Wood of Williams is going to take responsibility with the BIC for
interaction with this NARUC committee. (I believe that Rick came from a
regulatory background at GTE).

I did not attend any of the NARUC telecom meetings, but I believe that Alison
was going to cover and will send out an update if there was anything of note
to report.

Paul--I copied you as a courtesy just so you knew that someone from Enron was
in front of one of your Oregon commissioners.